Supermarket plants?

Older_But_Not_Wiser

Hi all

I'm a total novice when it comes to gardening so hope you won't mind helping me out with a bit of advice. I have two borders to plant and almost no money to do it with. I've put some ground cover plugplants in but not sure they'll grow as I left them a bit too long before planting and they have dried out.

M*rrisons have some cheap (3 for £5) climbers and shrubs, is it worth giving those a go or should I get the more expensive versions from the garden centre (where they seem to be @£8 each :eek:)?

aggypanthus

Morrisons plants can be very good, but it depends what they are. Can you give any names?

Lavendars are usually worth buying from them.
This wee they had Anthemis, a yellow daisy which is a good buy.

Farway

They are the same plants and if same species, why pay more?
Go for it

aggypanthus

They are much smaller and will take 2 or 3 yrs to grow to medium size.

peter_the_piper

Check they look alive and are not dried out in the pots. Some supermarkets will not water them for elf and safety reasons (people slip on the water).
Only ever bought 1 plant (10 of them) from a supermarket and all died so I take a rather jaundiced view of them.

Older_But_Not_Wiser

aggypanthus wrote: »

Morrisons plants can be very good, but it depends what they are. Can you give any names?

Lavendars are usually worth buying from them.
This wee they had Anthemis, a yellow daisy which is a good buy.

They had a selection but I was looking at the honeysuckle, a monarda (?), a verbena bonariensis (?) and a hosta (sorry if I've got the spelling all wrong!)

REEN

My garden has been done on a budget with plants from supermarkets and even pound shops. Some were reduced and dried up but if they were cheap enough to take a chance on they got chucked in a bucket overnight and anything that looked hopeful was planted out. I have a lovely group of ferns that cost 29p each.

Monarda and hosta are just slug food in my garden, but the honeysuckle and verbena should settle in quickly. Verbena bonariensis will seed around if it's happy. Check Home Bargains too, they sometimes have good plants.

aggypanthus

Verbena is not fully hardy in a bad winter. I have lost 2 and no seedlings.
Hostas are fine but needs lots of slug pellets.
They tend to sell basic ranges of plants.
why not take a walk around to see other gardens, I have often been given bits of plants from people that way.
unless you have plant knowledge steer away frm supermarkets.

Try the honeysuckles if they look strong.Find an independant shop where staff have knowledge of plants.

Older_But_Not_Wiser

Thanks all. I might risk the Verbena given I'm in a warm sheltered area (3 for £5 sounds pretty good to me) but will hold off the rest. We have an occasional street market here (I'm in London) which is running this Sunday so I'll have a look there too.

Am very grateful for your advice

REEN

I've just had a walk round the garden, noting the plants that came from supermarkets and are thriving. Here they are:
Bird cherry (prunus avium), viburnum opulus, v. Tinus, v. plicatum tomentosum, lonicera nitidum, l. Tatarica, l. fragrantissimum, rose Albertine, rose Zepherine Drouhin, alchemilla mollis, amelanchier canadensis, forsythia, philadelphus (mock orange),cornus, winter flowering jasmine, ferns, grasses and lots of clematis. Japanese maples are sometimes sold in supermarkets, take a long while to get big but are really worth it. Those are all toughies that have survived heat waves and wet winters.
I drop hints for garden gift tokens for birthdays so I can fill in any flowering gaps down at the garden centre!

SailorSam

I've bought lots of plants from Morrisons and don't think i've been disappointed. Check out the £shop they're good.
Check out Freecycle or even put a wanted. Many gardeners take far to many cuttings and give them away, i know i do.